COMSTOCK PARK, Mich. - The Cedar Rapids Kernels dropped their fourth straight game with a 6-2 loss at West Michigan Sunday afternoon in a Midwest League outing before 5,598 fans at Fifth Third Ballpark.

Brett Doe collected two of the team's three hits. It's the first time this season the Kernels (35-22) have lost four consecutive games.

West Michigan (29-28) jumped in front 3-0 in the first inning, collecting five hits and bringing eight men to the plate. Derek Hill began the inning with a triple off the wall in right. He quickly scored on an RBI single to left-center by Austin Schotts.

Schotts stole second base and scored on Joey Pankake's RBI single to left. Will Kengor rolled a single through the right side for the fourth hit of the inning. Zach Shepherd capped off the big inning with an RBI bloop single down the right field line, bringing in Pankake and staking the Whitecaps to the early three-run advantage.

The Kernels picked up a pair of unearned runs in the third inning, cutting West Michigan's lead to 3-2. With two outs, Tanner English drew a walk and stole his team-best 18th base of the season. He scored the team's first run when Nick Gordon reached on a fielding error by Kengor at first base.

Gordon swiped second base to get into scoring position, his 14th stolen bag of the year. Edgar Corcino's RBI single to right-center scored Gordon and trimmed the deficit to one run.

An error and a passed ball led to an unearned run for the Whitecaps in the fourth inning as they extended their lead to 4-2. Shepherd started the inning with a single to center before moving to third on a fielding error by Kernels first baseman Jorge Fernandez. Shepherd came home on a passed ball by catcher Alex Real.

West Michigan tacked on two more in the eighth inning with four consecutive singles, extending its lead to 6-2. Pankake and Kengor both singled the opposite way with one out and scored on back-to-back RBI singles by Shepherd and Franklin Navarro.

Sam Gibbons (0-1) started for the Kernels and lasted four innings for the loss. He allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits while striking out three and walking none in his second Midwest League start.

Luke Bard was excellent in relief for Cedar Rapids, allowing just one hit with one strikeout and no walks through three scoreless innings. Jose Velez allowed two runs on four hits in one inning, striking out one and walking one.

Spencer Turnbull (4-2) allowed just one hit and two unearned runs over six innings for West Michigan. He struck out six and walked three. Nate Fury tossed two scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out two and walking two for a hold. Jose Jimenez worked a scoreless ninth inning, allowing one hit while striking out two and walking one.

The road trip at West Michigan concludes Monday night at 6 p.m. Felix Jorge (3-2, 2.62) gets the start for the Kernels against West Michigan's A.J. Ladwig (5-4, 4.33).

The Kernels return home Wednesday night at 6:35 to begin a nine-game home-stand. Cedar Rapids hosts the Great Lakes Loons, the Midwest League affiliate of the Dodgers.

KERNELS (2): English, cf, 4 1 0 0, Gordon, ss, 4 1 0 0, Corcino, rf, 4 0 1 1, Murphy, lf, 2 0 0 0, Fernandez, 1b, 4 0 0 0, Real, c, 3 0 0 0, Doe, dh, 4 0 2 0, White, 3b, 2 0 0 0, Kelly, 2b, 3 0 0 0. Totals 30 2 3 1.

WEST MICHIGAN (6): Hill, cf, 5 1 2 0, Schotts, lf, 4 1 1 1, Gerber, rf, 4 0 0 0, Pankake, dh, 4 2 3 1, Kengor, 1b, 4 1 2 0, Shepherd, 3b, 4 1 3 2, Navarro, c, 4 0 1 1, Mattlage, 2b, 3 0 0 0, Fuentes, ss, 4 0 0 0. Totals 36 6 12 5.

Kernels         002 000 000 - 2 3 1
West Michigan   300 100 02x - 6 12 1

Gibbons, Bard (5), Velez (8) and Real. Turnbull, Fury (7), Jimenez (9) and Navarro. W - Turnbull (4-2). L - Gibbons (0-1). 3B - Hill (3). SB - Murphy (4), English (18), Gordon (14), Schotts (1). E - Fernandez (5), Kengor (4). T - 2:52. A - 5,598.